Reality 1: Some offender’s fit the stereotype, “scary look”, but most appear to be normal, friendly and even attractive.
Myth 2: Sex offender’s are “crazy”, mentally retarded or mentally ill.
Reality 2: On the basis of their performance on a standard IQ test, there was no significant difference between the convicted offender and the general population.
Myth 3: The child offender is a dirty, old man.
Reality 3: Offenders have been found to range between the ages of 14 and 73 with the majority under the age of 35. Offenders are also female as well as male.
Myth 4: The offender is a stranger to the victim.
Reality 4: Over 85% of child sex abuse victims know the offender. (NCMEC, 1987)
Myth 5: The child offender is alcoholic or drug addicted.
Reality 5: While this may be a factor in some cases, it is not the cause or reason for the offense.
Myth 6: Sexual assault is committed for the sex.
Reality 6: Sex is the tool used, but sex crimes are commited for reasons such as power issues, fear, anger, low self esteem, early victimization of the offender and/or mental disorders. Sexual assault is a crime of violence.
Myth 7: Child offenders progress over time to increasingly violent acts.
Reality 7: Child offenders do not spontaneously abandon their sexual involvement with children. There does not appear to be any reason to assume that an offender will necessarily become more dangerous over time.
Myth 8: Children are at a greater risk of sexual abuse from homosexual adults than from heterosexual adults.
Reality 8: The majority of child molesters have been found to be heterosexual, not homosexual.
Myth 9: Victims of sex crimes are young, attractive women.
Reality 9: There are male and female victims who are under 1 or over 70.
Myth 10: Victims of sex crimes are somehow at fault.
Reality 10: An offender may think a “victim asked for it” because of how he or she looked or acted. This is not permission to abuse.
Myth 11: Sexual abuse is only rape or intercourse.
Reality 11: Sexual abuse includes a variety of acts including exposure, molesting, incest, indecent liberties, etc.
